The purpose of this Law is to prevent and reduce the occurrences of emergency incidents, control, mitigate and eliminate the serious social damage caused by emergency incidents, standardize the emergency response activities, protect the life and property safety of the people, and maintain the national security, public safety, environment safety and social order. The Text consists of 70 articles divided into 7 Chapters: General Provisions (I); Prevention of, and Preparation for Response to Emergencies (II); Monitoring and Early Warning(III); Emergency Handling, and Rescue and Relief(IV); Post-Emergency Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (V); Legal Responsibilities (VI); Supplementary Provisions (VII).
An emergency incident as mentioned in this Law shall refer to a natural disaster, accidental disaster, public health incident or social safety incident, which takes place by accident, has caused or might cause serious social damage and needs the adoption of emergency response measures. According to such factors as degree of social damage and extent of effects, the natural disasters, accidental disasters and public health incidents shall be divided into four levels: especially serious, serious, large and ordinary.
The state shall establish and enhance an emergency response plan system. The State Council shall make the overall state emergency response plans, and organize and make the specialized state emergency response plans. A mine or building construction entity or an entity producing, operating, storing, transporting or using such dangerous substances as flammable or explosive substances, hazardous chemicals or radioactive substances shall make a specific emergency response plan, investigate hidden risks in the production or business operation premises, buildings and structures where dangerous substances exist and the surrounding environment, and timely take measures to eliminate hidden risks and prevent the occurrences of emergency incidents.